Entrenched Hermit

Horowhenua Chronicle, 8 June 1915, Page 3

Entrenched Hermit

STRANGE ClFlfoF A SOLDIER MONK The Belgian Socialist .Minister, M. Vandervelde, has told the curious story of ail officer, formerly a monk, who was presented to him when tie paid a recent visit to the trenches in Flanders. ■Fifteen soldiers, he says, keep watch at a certain point because the German ■ trenches are only 200 yards away. The others play cards in a cellar, while a new recurit sleeps lace downwards on a plank. The officer is up above in" a sort of "dove-cot. which serves him as an observation. post. "When wo went up," says M, Van- ■ durvelde, ''ho did us the honours of Ills cell, live yards long, and four wide. For furniture ho lias a mattress, a broken chair, aud a rickety tab'e. There ie> no other light but a dim lantern, invisible from outside." itlero the hermit has lived for more than a month. The men arc relieved every 24 hours, but ho refuses to be relfeved. As an artillery observer he does not budge from his post, and -has no other relations with the outside workl, except by tlio telephone wire Which connect his with headquarters. Food is taken to him on (juiot nights, '6 ij*t that is often impossible owing to the heavy shell fire. For three days he was without drinking water, except what lie could collect from the rain oozing through the roof. A few night*. ago a shell came into his cell and burst, but by an extraordinary fluke only scratched his little linger. Asked whether the condition of his life was "*K>t intolei'fiVie, the hermit soldier smilt'd. "I have never been so happy," he said ' iitne passes quickly while 1 keep my little house in order and watch over inj men and signal my observations. 1 feel that iam serving njy country." Then, as though, to complete his thought, ' ho'pointed to tlie wall on which wore schatched the words "Vivo le Iloi!"